Weft knit fabric



July 19, 1938. J. MCNAMEE 2,124,508

WEFT KNIT FABRIC Filed June 26, 1957 Fig.3 Fig.4- 1 51: 5.

1 v 'INVENTOR- I JAMES McNAMEE BY HIS ATTORNEYS Patented July 19,1938 I:

UNITED STATES PATENT orsics war-r KNIT FABRIC James McNamee, Ballstonspa, N. Y. Application June26, 1937, Serial No. 150,612 a Claims. (01.66-201) My invention relates to weft knit fabrics and more specificallyto such fabrics in which pat- -ternsjappear by light reflection. It hasbeen known for decades that twist in the ordinary knitting yarn causesthe knitted stitches to lean to one side or the other tion of twist.This has been universally regarded as objectionable because the fabrictends to twist and shrink, and the amount of twist in such yarns isordinarily kept low or soft. It was suggested many years ago that theseobjections might be overcome if a yarn with a twist in one directionwere usedfor one or two courses and then a yarn twisted in the-oppositedirection for one or. two courses, either with or withouttheinterspersion of one or two courses of a balanced twist yarn. I

it is possible to make useof certain twists of yarn to produce a patternefiect in weft knit fabric due to light reflection.

In the. drawing, Figure 1 is -a diagrammatic plan view of a needlecircle and yarn feeds of an eight-feed circular knitting machinesuitable for I have discovered that under certain conditions 7 making mynovel fabric;

- Fig. 2 is a photographic plan view oi" the face fabric made inaccordof a piece of balbriggan ance with my invention: t

Figs. -3, 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating the light-reflectionpatterns seen when viewing the fabric of Fig.2 from the side (i. e. atan angle) at various points around ing the. appearance of the fabricwhen the alternate bandsare dark light, .Fig. 4 showing and Fig. 5showing the alternate bands light and the intervening bands dark; whileFig. 6 is a view few of the stitches 40 how the stitches are tipped upon one leg.

If a yarn of suiliciently high twist is used in knitting, I haveobserved that when the fabric is viewed from the side, the amountoflight reflected varies as the source of lighter the ob- 45 servermoves around the fabric. I have discova highly novel light-reflectionpattern is ob-' ered that if but in opposite directions, or ban of atleast four so the straight lines are produced in the wales, and the twoopposite yarns used in alternation,

are usedto knit a row tamed. I find that under these circumstances theknitted herringbone construction produces contrasting bands reflectinglustrousfabric and bands of darkness showing no substance. I fur- Iaccording to the direc the fabric, Fig. 3 show;

and the intervening bands theentire fabric neutral,

in vertical section through av of the fabric of Fig. 2 showing yarns ofthis high degree of twist,

courses in succession,

ther find that as the observer or the source of ht'is moved about thefabric, the bands merge into a neutral appearance where the entirefabrichas a uniform slightly matte appearance, and then as the movementcontinues the bands that were dark suddenly'become light and the onesthat were light become dark. This appears to be controlled by thestraight lines forming the wales, and to vary from a shade of darknesswhere the substance of the fabric is lost to a highly lustrousappearance.

Apparently not. only are the lines of the wales reversely sloped in thefabric, giving a line direction similar to awoven herringbone pattern,but it also appears that each stitch is tipped up on one side. us-oneleg or side of each stitch is vertically above the other as it lies inthe, fabric and the direction oftwist determines which -leg is up (Fig.6). This gives a straight line herringbone effect in a verticaldimension and the light-reflected pattern apparently is due at oneangle, but cannot enter and is refiectedofl' when approaching at anotherangle. The crests appear more as continuous lines than valleys. .Theshapes of the trough and crest are somewhat like waves preparing tobreak on the shore. I Fig. 6 is merelydiagrammatic to show troughs andcrests generally.

I have found that the if the number of courses of the same twist yarn isso low that no wales are present. Furthermore, the tipping up of thestitches does not seem 'tooccur to any extent. Thus with two courses,each stitch is partially bent by its cent stitch of opposite twist andthere are no consecutive stitches in a straight line to unite pattern isnot produced interlooping with the adjaappreciable straight lines of oflight andsubstance as may be called for by the angles of incidence andreflection leading to the observer, and the collective effect of tippedstitches.

It is also impossible to produce a light-reflection pattern unless thereis a comparatively high twist in the yarn. Thus in 30's cotton theminimum twist would be about twentyturns to the inch (the ordinarycotton yarn has only 14 or 15 turns per inch). The minimum number ofturns necessary decreases in proportion as the bulk,

i. e. weight, per unit length increases, and vice versa. Yarns otherthan cotton need the same number of urns, size for size. to beequivalent. 55

so chine (Fig. 1) which is adapted toproduce my ,minimum or higher;

This light-reflection pattern from the ordinary weft plain knittingisquite novel.- I find that whereas when the fabric is viewed from above,the face of the fabric merely shows the lnterlooping of the yarns, thereis an entirely different appearance when viewed from the side.

' i. e., at a considerable or low angle. When viewed thus the fabricwill have any one of three appearances according to the angle relativeto the length of the courses of stitches from which it is viewed. Atcertain angles relative to the length of the courses the fabric shows anabsolutely, uniform, slightly matte appearance in which the structure ofthe stitches is not apparcut and there is no visible distinction betweenthe portions knit of yarn of one direction of twist and portions knit ofyarn of the opposite twist. If, however, the source of light or theobserver or both should changetheir circumferential position, 1. e.,their-position in the plane of the fabric, the opposite twist portionsat once begin to differentiate themse'lves. Thus move about the fabricabout 90 from the neutral position, he would find a striking contrast.Assuming that the fabric is knit with alternate bands of say ten coursesof one twist and of ten courses of the opposite twist, the bands of onetwist will now have a lustrous sheen, and, while the stitch structurewill not be visible, the surface will have aslight character orsubstance. On the other hand, the bands of opposite twist will havebecome very dark'and smooth, and totally without substance, due,apparently, to the uniform absence of light reflection. The surface J'ofwoven herring-bone fabrics does not exhibit this patterning despite thestraight effects which 4 they contain, and presumably is so because oftheir smooth surface. Referring to the drawing, in indicates the needlecircle of a multifeed circular knittingmanovel fabric. (Fig. 2). While Ihave illustrated a circular knitting machine it will be obvious that thefabric can be produced on a straight or circular machine, independent orunited needle. I have illustrated eight feeds of yarn, though it is tobe understood that this number of feeds is merely illustrative of myinvention and not a limitation on the number of feeds. My fabric may bemade on a four-feed machine or one. machine having only a single feed,by means of automatic yarn changing devices such for instance as arecommon on' circulan. hosiery knitting machines and other-types. In themachine shown in Fig. 1, the four yarns e, e, e,'e,- which are fed fromfeeds l, 2, 3 and l are yarns twisted in one direction while the fouryarns e, e, e', -e', which are fed from feeds 5, 6', and 8 are yarnstwisted in the opposite direction. The twists are at or above theminimumspecifled above and the yarns are therefore termed hard twisted.

In Fig. 2 the herringbone appearance of the fabric is apparent. It willbe seen that the fabric is composed of bands ll, l2 of reversely slopedI prefer to use about 26 if the observer should substance of the andbright.

l2 which appear dark and without substance is no contrast left betweenthe bands.

wales in which each of courses. In Fig. in each band. For the sake ofthe description, I will assume that the yarns e are twisted left composethe alternate bands H while the yarns e are twisted right and composethe intervening bands i2. K

It will be note that even in the machine of Fig. l which knits bandsonly four courses wide, there are a multiplicity of stitches of the sametwist not interlaced with stitches of opposite twist. This length ofline of wales'produces a linear or straight line effect which isessential to my light-reflection that in the fabric of Fig. 2 one leg ofeach stitch is tipped up producing a depth and a linear appearance notordinarily present. Furthermore,

pattern.. It will be noted it will be noted that the leg which is lifteddepends on. the direction of twist. Thus the only and the holes in theother band are tipped away or turned. The latter band appears as a solidfabric and is light. When the eye is placed laterally to one side of thefabric and a slight distance above it, the novel light-reflectionpattern appears. There are three kinds of maxi-- mum effects to be seen.These are seen as the one looks at the clothobserver or the source oflight moves around the fabric, maintaining the angle above the fabric.

As one moves around one observes shades or jumps from one maximum eifectto another as the case may be. Thus at certain points the changeisabruptwhile in others it is gradual. The three maximum effects arediagrammatically in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. In Figures .3 and 5 there are l2;In the two figures the contrast is reversed .oralternated. In Fig. 3 thealternate bands H ,appeardark and all the alternate bands II are smoothand appear to be masses or areas where On .the other hand, the whenviewed from the same pointappear lustrous In Fig. 5 it is theintervening bands shown somewhat j striking light-reflection contrastsbetween the successivebands I l and the intervening bands fabric)hasdisappeared. These j there is no light reflected.

intervening bands l2 while it isthe alternate bands II which appearlustrous. fabric through The horizontal angle relative to the" whichftheobserver must move to change from the contrast where one band is darkand without substance to the contrast where the other band is'affectedby'the source of light. If this does not move relative to thefabric, then apparently the observer must move 180 to make thefullchange. Half way between the two positions, however, t e

effect. At this intermediate position the fabric assumes a uniformappearance all over and there This sition may be termed a fabric appearsslightly matte and the actual stitch structure is not apparent. Atpositions between the neutral and the contrasts, the structure of thestitches in one set of bands or the other is apparent.

dark and without substance, is

observer will find a strikingly different lig t neutral position. The

While I have shown the invention embodied in plain fabric, it can alsobe embodied in-rib fabric.

successive areas of opposite twist'yarns, thus giving a checkerboardeffect. Also patterns due to other stitch or yarn changes may becombined with my light-reflection pattern. Other variations notdeparting from the scope of theinvention will occur to those skilled inthe art.

This application is a continuation in part of my application SerialNumber 101,604, filed September 19, 1936.

What is claimed is:

1. A plain weft knit pattern fabric of hard twist yarn, having one areaof a plurality of wales and at least four courses knit of yarn twistedin one direciton, in combination with an adjacent similar area knit ofoppositely twisted yarn, the fabric showing a light-reflection contrastwhen viewed from the side, one area being dark.

2. A plain knit weft pattern fabric of hard twist yarn, having one areaof a plurality of wales forming straight lines, the area having at leastfour courses and being knit of yarn twisted in one direction, incombination with an adjacent similar area knit of oppositely twistedyarn, the lines of the wales in the areas being sloped reversely to eachother and the areas showing a light reflection contrast when viewed fromthe side, with one area dark and the other lustrous, and vice versa witha change of angle.

3. A weft knit pattern fabric of yarns of op-.

posite hard twists, each stitch having one leg tipped up, the stitchesof one direction of twist being tipped up on one side and the stitchesof the opposite twist on the opposite side, the fabric having one areaof a plurality of Wales and at least four courses knit of yarn twistedin one direction, in combination ilar area knitof oppositely twistedyarns, whereby the fabric in the areas appears alternately lustrous anddark when'viewed from the side.

4. A weft knit pattern fabric of yarn twisted the equivalent of at least20 turns per inch for 30s cotton, yarn twisted in one direction beingused in a plurality of wales for four or more courses, in combinationwith four or more courses adjacent thereto in said wales knit ofoppositely twisted yarns, the portions knit of the two yarns appearinglustrous and dark, respectively, or of said groups of courses with anadjacent simadjacent area, whereby when slightly matte neutralappearance when viewed from the side.

5. A plain knit patterned fabric having bands of four or more courses ofyarn hard twisted in one direction alternating with bands knit of fouror more courses of yarn hard twisted in the opposite direction, thewales in said bands be ing straight line and reversely sloped inadjacent bands, the bands appearing alternately as lustrous and ofsmooth darkness when viewed from the side.

6. A weft knit patterned fabric in which bands of four or more coursesof yarn twisted in one direction to substantial roundness are alternatedwith bands of four or more courses knit of yarns twisted the same amountin the opposite direction, the resulting straight lines of the walesbeing reversely sloped in adjacent bands, and refiecting contrastingbands of luster and of darkness when viewed from the side.

7. 'A weft knit fabric having a light-reflection pattern therein knit ofyarns hard twisted in opposite directions, a plurality of adjacentcourses at least four in number being knit of yarn twisted in onedirection, and a similar plurality of adjacent courses being knit ofoppositely twisted yarns; whereby the tipped-up wale lines slopingreversely in adjacent groups of courses reflect lustrous bands and bandsof darkness without substance when viewed from the side,

opposite to each other when viewed at certain angles and the entirefabric appearing neutral and slightly matte at another angle.

8. A weft knit fabric having a light-reflection pattern .therein, knitof hard oppositely twisted yarn, the fabric containing areas of aplurality of wales four or more courses in extent knit of yarn of onedirection of twist, and adjacent areas knit of yarn of the oppositetwist, the wales in the two areas being sloped reversely to each other,but forming straight parallel lines in their own area, the stitches ineach area being tipped up on the side opposite from the tipping of theviewed from the side the fabric will have a neutral, slightly matte,uniform appearance, or the areas will have contrasting lustrous or darkand without substance appearances in alternation according to the anglefrom which viewed.

JAMES McNAMEE.

